What birth control methods have given you side effects and what were they?

[gone_fishing]

Right now me and my SO are working on celibacy until our wedding date next year. However, when that day comes, I'm still not trying to rush into having another baby. Therefore, I have quite a bit of time to research and find the birth control method which would be most right for me.

So, I'm asking you ladies which birth control has had the least amount of side effects for you and what has had the worst side effects.

I know all bodies are different but maybe this can help me make a decision.

This would be in addition to condoms by the way.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j131/ataurus1/bcmethods.jpg

[gone_fishing]

I realize this thread is boring and it doesn't really give you anything to argue about but I need help! so BUMP BUMP BUMP!!!:grin:

[Radianthealth]

I will chime in...

I know that birth control is not for me. I have tried two different kinds with horrible side effects.

The first was Depo provera

Lost my sex drive (I have read that this is the same shot given to sex offenders to stop their "urges":wallbash:)
gained weight
My hair fell out I thought I had cancer
Back pains
Moodiness
scary weird periodsWhen I got off I joked that I knew why it was called birth control...it turned me into a moody fat ********** skeeza who didn't even want to have sex

Next was nuvaring

This made me severely depressed. I think I cried and argued with my poor husband on a daily basis. It felt like I was possessed
I didn't have any energy
ZERO sex drive
back pains
Breast tendernessIt seems like as soon as I took that thing out of me I felt better.

I talked to my Mom about it and she experienced similar emotional/depression issues from the birth control pill so I think it may be a genetic thing. I found a message board though with thousands of women complaining about the terrible side effects of the nuvaring.

I will never go onto hormonal birth control again...it is poison for my body.

I did find a contraction on the internet which is a one size fits all cervical cap. When I find the link I will post.

I liked it but it is too much of a hassle to put on so we just use condoms now.

[glamazon386]

Depo Provera gave me excessive bleeding the first few months and no period when the 3 months was supposed to be up. It took 6 months to a year to get that mess out of my system after 1 shot. Never again. :nono:

I was on Nuva Ring for 2 years with no problems though.

[ClassyND]

Oral/Skin Contraceptives:
- Ortho: large cysts on my ovaries that had to be removed
- Yaz: bled 3 weeks out of the month, fainting, bloody noses, really bad cramping
- Patch: after many ultrasounds and doctor visits, they say I was still releasing an egg (we think because it never would stay on the whole time)

Condoms:
- allergic to latex, but that was fixed by using different condoms

[LorraineCC]

I took Depo Provera. In the beginning I loved it because I didn't spot or get a period at all. I used it for a year. I had to stop taking it because my sex drive was ZERO. I would get sick just from seeing people on tv kiss. I was willing to deal with it because I wasn't feeling my husband at the time. These were the other side effects

Severe depression (suicidal like.)
Facial hair (neck, chin, knuckles, toe knuckles and chest).
Weight gain (I think this happened because my appetite increased)
Hair loss. My hair wouldn't grow if you paid it. When I got two large baldspots on the side of my head, I decided to give up the shot.

[imstush]

Trinessa was the absolute worst bcp I have ever taken. There are numerous forums regarding this. It has been and is still being recalled. Some women have gotten pregnant (I got a pregnancy scare recently). I would have my period for about 2 weeks every month, severe yeast infections, moodiness, etc. I refuse to take anything generic again.

[Radianthealth]

Hair loss. My hair wouldn't grow if you paid it. When I got two large baldspots on the side of my head, I decided to give up the shot.

You sound like me...I would comb my hair and chunks would just come out. I literally had 1/4 inch of hair at the crown of my head:nono:

What makes me angry is that I would tell the doctors what my symptoms were and they would act like I was crazy and the only one experiencing horrific side effects. But when I talk to my friends and family...I hear the same horrible stories.

[crlsweetie912]

The only one I have used consistently enough to give a review is Depo

I was on this for about 8-10 years about 4 years ago.

The first few years were ok. A little weight gain, spotty periods in the beginning. Very few periods. But in the latter years I began suffering with what I thought were pre menopausal symptoms. (I was only 30 years old) Hot flashes, night sweats, sleeplessness, depression. I was in pure hell. I would go 2 weeks averaging only about 2 hours of sleep per night. Finally, after months of tests, my doctor suggested that I stop the Depo. My body, after being on it for so long was "tricked" into thinking that I was going into menopause. After so many years of having few to no periods, my body assumed that it was time for menopause. Thank God, things are ok now, but I would never take hormonal birth control again. (thank God for abstinence!)

ETA: Come to think of it, I was depressed during that time too. WOW!

[StrawberryQueen]

Oral/Skin Contraceptives:
- Ortho: large cysts on my ovaries that had to be removed
- Yaz: bled 3 weeks out of the month, fainting, bloody noses, really bad cramping
- Patch: after many ultrasounds and doctor visits, they say I was still releasing an egg (we think because it never would stay on the whole time)

Condoms:
- allergic to latex, but that was fixed by using different condoms
The story of my life, although I lost my ovary and fallopian tube along with the cysts. I wish I was never on them.

[georgiagyrl]

Depo shot - the worst bc ever. I had a period for 6 weeks straight when I initially got the shot. I also had severe depression. :cry: That was the first and last time I got that shot.

Ortho evra patch - I used this for a few years. I didn't really have any side affects besides the ugly marks they left on my skin. I stopped using the patch because of the blood clot scare a few years ago.

I just stopped taking pills because I couldn't remember to take them during the same time each day. And if I missed a day and doubled up the next, OMG I would be a raging maniac! :angry2::censored::swearing::evil:The mood swings were out of control! I also decided to stop because my sex drive went out the window.

I'm practicing abstinence until marriage, but my Dr. has ordered an IUD. I hope I get better results.

[Guyaneek]

I use the IUD Mirena and have been using it for about 4 years. It is fine now but during the first year of use, my hair loss was unbelievable. I plan on having it removed in the next few weeks because we want to start trying for another child. After I am done, I plan on going back to an IUD but the ones that don't use hormones.
The one good thing about Mirena was that I haven't had a period in over 3 years. No spotting no nothing! I love that.

[1QTPie]

Ortho Novum 777 and Ortho Tri-Cyclen -

Breast tenderness, headaches, PMS, moodiness, PMS, PMS, PMS, moodiness. :lachen:

Was one both (different times) a total of 13 years.

Been off for a year and am trying LoEstrin 24...

Once again, headaches, PMS, moodiness and boobies hurt. :nono:

[calliope]

Pill (Levora)
-weight gain
-depression/suicidal thoughts
-moodiness, angry black woman syndrome
*I've felt more more "normal" being pregnant and my husband keeps commenting on how much "nicer" I am:ohwell:

Condoms
-didn't work, still have half a box left:grin:

[Chanel's Tresses]

I am done with hormonal birth control. After totally loosing my sex drive on the Shot:wallbash: I did some research and got forums coming up all over the place with women complaining about what hormonal bc had done to them. Then when you tell the docs they always act like the side effects only affect a small percentage of people. Yeah right. I think our bodies can really be ill affected from all those hormones. A year later and my body is still not all the way right. Just my 2 cents.

[karezone]

I have been on oral BC since I was 18 and I am now (almost) 24.

Current ortho tri cyclen lo:
lack of vaginal moisture
1-pregnancy scare

have used
mircette and kariva (mircette generic)
I used the kariva until about 4 months ago.
I had low sex drive initially and starting in February breakthrough bleeding.



I am done with hormonal birth control. After totally loosing my sex drive on the Shot:wallbash: I did some research and got forums coming up all over the place with women complaining about what hormonal bc had done to them. Then when you tell the docs they always act like the side effects only affect a small percentage of people. Yeah right. I think our bodies can really be ill affected from all those hormones. A year later and my body is still not all the way right. Just my 2 cents.

[SweetAKA]

I'm on the Othro Evra patch now, but thinking about changing. I've been getting these horrible migraines usually on the last patch of the month. The rashes are horrible too, I dont care what I put on my skin first, I still end up with a square patch mark on me.....especially on my back. So stopped putting them there, because they were getting caught on my bra, then on my shirts, so I put it on my thigh. It actually stays in place there and I learned a special way of taking them off so there is no mark most of the time.

[adf23]

I have been on a few pills (Ortho Tro Cyclen, Triphasil) with no problems. Regular predictable cycle, actually lost weight, etc.

Now- when I went on Ortho Evra- my only complaint while I was on it was lack of any kind of sex drive AT ALL. Almost to the point of disgust. As soe others have said, i started researching and discovered that many women had the same side effect. So, I took it off.

Result: Starting the next week and continued for about 6 months- hair fell out. No one else noticed but I definitely did. My hair thinned by about 1/4.

All is fine now- I have been off hormonal BC for about a year. Because of the hair thinning, I will not be back on any form of a pill or patch. Condoms and spermicide are what is used now.

[meaganita]

I took Depo Provera. In the beginning I loved it because I didn't spot or get a period at all. I used it for a year. I had to stop taking it because my sex drive was ZERO. I would get sick just from seeing people on tv kiss. I was willing to deal with it because I wasn't feeling my husband at the time. These were the other side effects

Severe depression (suicidal like.)
Facial hair (neck, chin, knuckles, toe knuckles and chest).
Weight gain (I think this happened because my appetite increased)
Hair loss. My hair wouldn't grow if you paid it. When I got two large baldspots on the side of my head, I decided to give up the shot.
Dang! I can't believe all this neggy feedback on the shot! I had no idea that there were women going through stuff like this behind it. Most of the women I know who are on it really like it. Including me...:perplexed I love the shot because it's easy and damn near bullet proof!!:yep: I'd have to say the worst side affect I got with Depo was headaches. Which to me was a better side affect than pregnancy, so I'll take it!:lol: Being on Depo also stopped my periods completely...which is nice at first but can get kinda scary after a year or two without one. But they always come back (eventually) after you get off the shot.

The worst BC side affects I had were with the Pill.:ohwell: I spotted for over a month straight and had chronic cramping. At first I thought it was just a normal part of the body getting used to the hormones. But once I realized it wasn't normal, I stopped taken that junk M. E. G. Itly!!

[nicki6]

The only one I have used consistently enough to give a review is Depo

I was on this for about 8-10 years about 4 years ago.

The first few years were ok. A little weight gain, spotty periods in the beginning. Very few periods. But in the latter years I began suffering with what I thought were pre menopausal symptoms. (I was only 30 years old) Hot flashes, night sweats, sleeplessness, depression. I was in pure hell. I would go 2 weeks averaging only about 2 hours of sleep per night. Finally, after months of tests, my doctor suggested that I stop the Depo. My body, after being on it for so long was "tricked" into thinking that I was going into menopause. After so many years of having few to no periods, my body assumed that it was time for menopause. Thank God, things are ok now, but I would never take hormonal birth control again. (thank God for abstinence!)

ETA: Come to think of it, I was depressed during that time too. WOW!

Agree with this WHOLE post!! To think, I was crazy enough to stay on this just to not have a period:wallbash:

Just to add, its VERY difficult to lose the Depo weight:sad: